alanmin4304 Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 I have been culturing locusts with mixed success but need some info. I have two only 600 x 600mm tanks with wooden lids and light bulbs keeping temperature around 30 deg C. I have disposable glasses set into icecream containers as a laying media and breed in one and hatch in the other. I have put wood shavings on the bottom of each tank to insulate and bring the floor up to level with the top of the icecream container. This seems to be creating moisture and I am wondering what others do. Should I go for bare tanks or use another media? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davidb Posted October 3, 2008 Report Share Posted October 3, 2008 bare tanks is the way to go. or use glass or persplex to make a false bottom if you want to bring it up to height if you are using a fish tank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 I have wooden with sliding up glass front,trapdoor in roof and/or side for food acess and mesh floor for waste to drop through,you can cover this with a sheet of paper etc when they are first in there so they don`t fall through.I have an enterchangable floor with cup holes on half if I want to breed in there or just mesh for rearing.mesh ladders on the sides for resting/basking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 If I put the icecream ontainers straight onto the bottom of the tank will they climb up OK to lay eggs,. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 im just about to start up a culture, which i have just bought a tank for. just wondering where you get laying media from? and do you have any tips on the best way to bred them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 There are others here better qualified thabn me---I am still trying to figure it out. Vermiculite is available from your garden nursary and pumice sand also. People seem to use either or both mixed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 should be ok alan,just push it into a corner and make some little ladders out of wiremesh so they can climb easily. propagating pumice sand works best for me,dampen it down a bit and the trick is to not leave it in there too long,its quite warm in there and it dries out fast.better to replace with a fresh one than leave a dry one in longer or to try and add water,just does not get deep enough into the medium.I take mine out once a week and thats probably pushing it abit long,probably costs me a few viable eggs,as you get more experienced you cut a few corners?When Istarted I would take the egg cups out everytime I saw they had layed and I got heaps more babies,also had heaps of containers to hatch and fill etc etc?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 this is how my cups are set up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 Is it best to take the egg container out and put in to a cooler tank? what temp to you keep your egg tank at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 4, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 Is that cardboard or wood that the cups are in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 mine was bare bottom / flyscreen mesh bottom with 2 holes cut out for egg laying cups to sit flush with ground, plastic mesh ladders all around oh how could i forget the grass had a hole cut out to so i could add fresh jar with grass daily. before this setup i just used a cardboard cut out thing similar to repto's picture - worked swt this was in an old fridge, and the bottom was 25-30 C and up top was 40-45 C i was using perlite in foam or plastic cups for egg laying and worked well (laying & incubating temps 25-32) ice cream container seems abit overkill, once you crack it its prety buzzy what comes out of just a cup, theyre easy to cover/recover etc. once babie hatch take glad wrap off let babies out then recover and put back in incubator - kp an eye on it more wil hatch. otherwise once they hatch take out put in rearing tank and mist atleast twice a day to kp unhatched eggs moist as could take a few days for them to hatch especially if your egg tray were kept with adults for a few days etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 definately take out the sawdust though, i wouldnt be surprised if theyve been laying eggs in it? the locusts create there own organic pelletised substrate in no time :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 yes,its cardboard,just a shallow box cutoff to the lenght of the see through cups.Does not cover the whole floor area but when they are up on it they have no problem thinking its the place to lay.I take the cups out at least weekly and cover with gladwrap and a rubberband,also do like mincie and recover after first hatch and usually get more than one per cup.you can save the sand and sieve it to get old cups out then rinse it,then put in a big pot and bring to boil or do small batchs in the mirowave to sterilise it.Wait till the mrs is not home for this procedure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldogod Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 Good ideas, I do it the lazy way , old fish tank, chinese takeaway containers with sand and throw in grass every day, dont clean out the sh*t , and theres heaps of it. light bulb hanging from top with mesh top. Works fine but after reading this thread, think Ill change it a bit when I get time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 Do locust need a certain amount of light and dark? how do you maintain the temp around 30degrees in the enclosure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 they need a certain day length to produce eggs,mine get light 24/7 and have never heard them complain?I regulate the heat with the wattage of bulb,they are out in the garage,cold as a frog`s tit in winter,hot as in summer,as long as they can get away from or towards the heat source seems ok.Stand your grass in bundles in a jar of water as that is their only moisture source,a dish of branflakes or chook mash and you are away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 haha its good they dont complain. I just didnt want to stuff up their cycle if i left the light on the whole time for their heat source. I was also thinking about hooking the light up to a thermastat to try and keep the temp around 30degrees. but that means their light will be going on and off all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted October 4, 2008 Report Share Posted October 4, 2008 30 minimum,34 is better,they need the heat to produce viable eggs.Also make sure you know whats happening at your grass source.Traces of insecticide will not kill them but render them sterile.That means fencelines adjourning orchards/marketgardens etc are out of bounds.You can do everything right bar this and no babies???You can culture your own grass as in wheat seedlings but you have to plan ahead for germination growth etc to have the right ammount at the right time,this is a good way to get around the parasite issue but short of producing them on a comercial basis alot of work,NZ market would not justify either I would say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 5, 2008 Author Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 Have done the bare tank and cardboard container thing. Waiting on next batch of locusts to give it another go. Got my first offspring into winged adults yesterday but numbers are very few so have to get something going quite a bit better. Will keep you posted. I need to get them going to get a better diet for my frogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave+Amy Posted October 5, 2008 Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 There is alot of grass out on bush tracks that does not have any chemicals on it so i mite have a look out there. How long do locust live for? When do they typically mature? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
repto Posted October 5, 2008 Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 I don`t know wether you get that kiykuia grass down that way?at beachs etc.thats quite good to use as it stays green right into the summer.Just grab a handfull and cut off with a knife,put a rubber band etc around to hold it in a tight bunch and get a collection of small jars etc to stand it in water in your tank.you can gather a shopping bag of bunches and store in the fridge for a few days,then when they eat it down to a stump throw it out and put a fresh one in.I get them a couple of times a week on the roadside by an organic garden(no spray)and stand them in a bucket of water till needed.some just chuck it in on the ground but its so warm in there does not last long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insect Direct Posted October 5, 2008 Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 There is alot of grass out on bush tracks that does not have any chemicals on it so i mite have a look out there. How long do locust live for? When do they typically mature? could have 1080 onit 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soloman5 Posted October 5, 2008 Report Share Posted October 5, 2008 Does anyone know where I could get some adult locusts for breeding? I had a good set up going babies and all, then my dad looked after them while I was on holiday and somehow he wiped nearly all of them out. I'm left with 10 but they don't look great and aren't mating. I want to start up a fresh lot but don't know where to get the adults from. :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldogod Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 Bio supplies maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soloman5 Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 yeah I thought about them but wasn't sure whether Mike would be keen to, no halm in trying though . If anyone else has some spare let me know :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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